Search Begins For A Second Major Puget Sound Airport

OLYMPIA, WA — A robust effort is underway to find a suitable location for a second major airport in Puget Sound. On Wednesday, the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission met for the first time, seeking to assemble a list of six potential locations by late 2020. According to KUOW, options may include upgrading an existing municipal airport or building a new facility from the ground up. Commissioners must settle on a single recommendation by January 1, 2022.

The Seattle Times reports almost 50 million travelers flew in and out of Sea-Tac Airport in 2018, and that number is expected to skyrocket in the years to come. The Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan outlines billions of dollars in upgrades needed to help Sea-Tac keep up with demand by 2027.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers set a preferred 2040 deadline for a new major airport to be built and operational.